


Psycho Pass: Unbridled Civility

by SoelleKhiss



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Anime, F/M, Fanfiction, Horses, Psycho Pass - Freeform, Psycho-pass - Freeform, Romance, Shinkane - Freeform, akane - Freeform, dressage, kogami
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 13:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12865170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoelleKhiss/pseuds/SoelleKhiss
Summary: During the national dressage championships, the powerful influence of an old enemy puts Kogami and his family in peril.  Can the distracted Enforcer leave them in the capable hands of the MWPSB while he concentrates on qualifying for the international competition?





	Psycho Pass: Unbridled Civility

_“I cannot believe what you say, because I see what you do.” —James Baldwin_

“Kogami, you don’t really have a choice in the matter!” Akane said. Face flushed with frustration, she trotted alongside the irritated Enforcer to keep pace with his long, angry strides. “Chief Kasei made it an order.”

“Did you bring a Dominator, Inspector?” he asked. “Because you’re going to need one. I’m not doing it.”

“It’s just an interview.”

“On camera, right? Not happening.”

“Kogami!” 

Akane’s protest was lost in a crowd of people and activity on the bustling grounds of the Gotemba Equestrian Center. With some difficulty, Kogami and she pressed through the throng of spectators along a narrow boulevard that was surrounded by small shops and boutiques. The haut couture vendors were clustered on the far side of the showgrounds near the parking area, which was jam-packed with horse trailers, shipping vans, and trucks.

Dressed in white riding breeches and polished tall boots, Kogami made fists of his hands to loosen the stiff white leather of his gloves. Unstrapping the velcro enclosures on his wrists, he pulled them off and absently slapped them against his thigh. A black shadbelly coat and a yellow vest completed his riding attire, including a black riding helmet emblazoned with the Japanese flag.

“Are you trying to end up back in an isolation cell?” Akane asked. “Because that’s what Chief Kasei will do if you defy her.”

“Maybe.” He snorted playfully. “But with powerful friends like Kurosawa, I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. Especially if I win today.”

Akane glanced at her wristcom. “Aren’t you supposed to ride your first test in 20 minutes?”

“Yeah, but Mi-Yeon’s here to ride in the kids’ division, and I promised I’d watch.”

Akane’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. “Really! Why didn’t you say something, Mr. Kogami?”

He shrugged. “Didn’t seem important to mention at the time.”

She cuffed his shoulder, even as he pretended to retreat from her. “You really can be such a jerk! When did she get into riding horses?”

“It was my mother’s idea. After the earthquake and everything else that happened, she wanted to make sure Mi-Yeon was getting the most effective therapy possible.”

“Hippotherapy? She’s riding horses to control her stress levels like you did. A brilliant idea!”

“I thought so, too.” Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, his usual coltish demeanor diminishing as he read a communication on his wristcom. 

“What’s wrong?”

“My mother messaged me a few minutes ago. The therapy center’s van hasn’t arrived yet, and she can’t reach the facility trainer.” With a frown, he shot her an apprehensive look. “No van. No Trainer. No pony.”

“Oh no, why the delay?”

“I don’t know. My mother wouldn’t say. She just wanted me to find her.” 

Kogami paused in mid stride, scanning the small village that had cropped up on the edge of the parking lot. Large, canvas tents of every color dotted the horizon between the temporary stables and pasture. The names of major stables were embroidered on hanging banners, displayed alongside their corporate sponsors and logos. Personalized tack boxes were neatly positioned amid folding chairs and other furniture, which sat on carpeted floors that covered up the pasture grass.

One black banner caught his eye, after he nearly walked on by it. It was imprinted with bold yellow letters: the Royale Hippotherapy Centre. Kogami ducked slightly under the canopy. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the dimness inside, he was greeted by a familiar face.

“Shinya,” his mother sighed in relief. Through her smile, a subtle uneasiness manifested itself in her pale skin and the lines of worry that furrowed her brow.

Kogami bowed deeply to her, but his show of respect was cut short when Mi-Yeon came running from the rear of the tent. In tears, she held her arms up to him, her tiny hands trembling. He picked her up and held her tightly against him.

“Kogami-kun,” she whispered in a cracked voice.

Kogami rubbed her back to sooth the sobbing little girl. “What’s wrong?”

Mrs. Kogami clasped her hands in front of her chin and bowed her head, her face long and drawn with emotion. “Mi-Yeon’s leadline division is coming up shortly, but the Centre trailer still isn’t here.”

“What happened?” Kogami asked. “You didn’t specify—“

“There was an accident on the highway, Shinya. The ring steward was nice enough to call the Centre, but there was no answer. I’m afraid something terrible has happened.” She looked at Mi-Yeon and ran her hands over the child’s heaving shoulders. “She’s been looking forward to this for weeks now.”

Akane cleared her throat.

Showing no remorse for his ill manners, Kogami took a stepped back. “Mother, this is Inspector Tsunemori, Akane Tsunemori. Inspector, my mother, Mrs. Tomoyo Kogami.”

“Mrs. Kogami,” Akane said, “it is a pleasure to meet you.” She bowed respectfully to the older woman before her, waiting for the proper amount of time before straightening. “Don’t you worry, Mrs. Kogami. I’ll contact MWSPB headquarters and see what I can find out about that accident. Excuse me.” She ducked under the loose hanging canopy of the tent and vanished into the sunlight outside.

“Shinya,” his mother said. She caressed his cheek and chin with her soft hands. “You’re looking well.” Then skeptically raising an eyebrow, she added, “A bit too thin, but healthy. Are you eating properly?”

“Do I ever?” Kogami smiled, reveling in her touch and the scent of rose petals. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I’m your mother, and it’s my job.” She looked to the opening where Akane had departed. “Is that your superior?”

“Yes.” Feeling blush across his cheeks, Kogami was pleased that Akane had left them alone.

“A very sweet girl, Shinya. I hope you haven’t been too unkind to her.”

“Mother, I haven’t—“ His wristcom chimed with an alert. Awkwardly balancing Mi-Yeon in his arms, Kogami answered it.

“Kogami!” Akane said. “The Royale Centre’s truck and trailer were involved in an incident at the interchange on the main highway leading to Gotemba. Seems a limousine accidentally left its lane without properly checking for other vehicles and collided with them.”

“Was anyone hurt?” Mrs. Kogami asked.

“No injuries were reported.” There was a pause on the line. “Kogami, I think they just pulled into the parking lot.”

Kogami raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Nothing like the last minute. Hey?” He tugged at the sleeve of Mi-Yeon’s riding jacket. “Get ready. Your pony’s here.”

Eyes red and puffy, Mi-Yeon sat up in his arms with a heartsick frown. Rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands, she shook her head dispassionately.

“Don’t believe me? That’s not fair.” Kogami poked her in the ribs and was rewarded with a half-hearted giggle. Giving her a warm embrace, he waited for his mother to go ahead of them, and together they went outside into the sunlight.

“Over here!” Akane called. “Hello again, Mi-Yeon.” 

“Akane-chan,” Mi-Yeon whispered.

In shock, Akane’s eyes widened at the verbal greeting. She signed a greeting of hello to Mi-Yeon, who smiled weakly at her feeble attempts to communicate with her hands.

“You two get reacquainted,” Kogami said, handing off Mi-Yeon to Akane. He listened intently as the announcer made a 5-minute call for the children’s division. “I’m going to help get this pony ready.” 

“Mr. Kogami,” a frazzled young woman cried. “I’m Dr. Hira, Mi-Yeon’s therapist.” She climbed down from the heavy rig. “I am so very sorry. One minute we’re driving onto the interchange, and the next this limo comes out of no where, crosses three lanes of traffic, and hits the truck.”

“We heard,” Kogami’s said. He undid the security latches in the rear of the trailer. “Just glad no one was hurt.”

“I’ll get the saddle.” Waving at Mi-Yeon, Hira smiled and signed as she spoke. “Your pony is here, Mi-Yeon. I’m sorry for being late.”

“Secret-chan,” Mi-Yeon said in a high-pitched voice. She struggled in Akane’s arms until the Inspector set her down on the ground. On tip toe, she stared through the trailer slots into the interior of the vehicle. “Ko-ga-mi-kun,” she whispered in a distressed voice.

Careful to keep his fingers safe from being crushed, Kogami dropped the ramp to the grass and followed the child’s frightened eyes. The cause of her distress was evident. A pool of blood had collected under the pony’s left hind foot. Though the animal stood calmly, eating from its hay bag, blood dripped down along its gray hide from a gash in its thigh. Kogami bowed his head and sighed despondently.

“What’s the problem?” Coming around to the back of the trailer, Dr. Hira saw the blood and dropped the saddle as she cupped her hands over her mouth in shock. “I checked to make sure she was okay. I looked through the door, and she was fine.” She looked at Mi-Yeon in horror. “Oh, Mi-Yeon, I am so sorry.” Crimson ran from the wound, down the hind leg and into the shipping bandage, which was soaked with blood. 

Kogami picked Mi-Yeon up in his arms and moved her away from the gruesome sight. She threw her arms about his neck and sobbed uncontrollably.

“Oh, Kogami,” Akane whispered anxiously.

He shook his head to silence her. There were no words that could soothe him nor any to solace the crying child in his arms. “There’s a vet on call. Somebody should look at that. Might need stitches.” Kogami walked back toward the ring where the other young riders and their ponies gathered for the start of the class.

Surrounded by a small entourage of security, Miss Okamoto, Kurosawa’s personal assistant, was waiting for him with a digital tablet cocked on her hip. She was dressed in a formal black dress, her hair tied up in the usual tail knot with hair sticks added as decoration. Kogami was not be certain how long she had been waiting at the in-gate watching him.

“Mr. Kogami,” Okamato said.

“Is it time?” Kogami growled under his breath. He shared a distressed look with Akane and his mother. “I just need a minute.”

Mi-Yeon sobbed quietly on his shoulder. Her tiny body shuddered with renewed grief while Kogami held her with what little strength he could muster. She resisted leaving her big brother and sentinel, even when Akane tried to pull her away from his warm arms so that Kogami could leave.

Mrs. Kogami smiled and gently rubbed Akane’s shoulders. “There is no greater comfort than her big brother’s embrace. When he’s around, there’s no separating them. Don’t take it personally.” She rubbed her hands nervously across her cheeks. “Mi-Yeon was so excited for today. She’s made such progress since leaving that dreadful children’s facility. I do hope this won’t cloud her psycho pass too badly.”

Okamoto frowned subtly, mindful of the despondent child. “No rush, Mr. Kogami. I’ve been updating Mr. Kurosawa about your situation. When he heard that your little sister’s pony had not arrived, he decided to take matters into his control.” She stepped to the side and just behind her, escorted by his personal security team, the wealthy businessman walked toward them, leading his famous black stallion, Touch the Sky.

“I understand that you’re in need of a good lead line mount,” Kurosawa said with a grin. “The leadline division will make a nice warm up for Touch the sky. I can’t think of a more ideal situation.” He handed the reins to Kogami. 

Kogami laughed softly, shaking his head at the swinging moods of Dame Fortune. “Thank you, Mr. Kurosawa.”

“Think nothing of it,” Kurosawa said. “You should smile more, Mr. Kogami. It suits you.”

“Hey, look.” Kogami shook Mi-Yeon to get her attention. He turned her toward the horse and breathed a sigh of relief when the child’s teary eyes lit up. Moving closer, he let Mi-Yeon reach out to hug the stallion’s face. “His name is Touch the Sky.”

Mi-Yeon stared up at the cloudless skies above them. Tilting her head uncertainly, she extended a hand up to the heavens.

“His friends call him Lancelot.”

Mi-Yeon leaned over Kogami’s shoulder and whispered, “Lancelot-san?”

Kogami laughed. “Yes, Lancelot-san. Stay close,” he said, putting her down beside him. He handed Mi-Yeon the reins and then took the small saddle from Akane. Snapping a leather lead to the bridle, Kogami offered it to the trainer.

Dr. Hira waved her hands dismissively at him, refusing to take the line. “The vet’s on the way. I have to stay with Secret.” She grinned at Mi-Yeon and gently pinched her cheek. “Besides, I think a better trainer is available for Mi-Yeon right now.”

“Kogami-kun!” Mi-Yeon piped.

Kogami picked Mi-Yeon up in one arm and settled her on the stallion’s back. As Akane wiped her boots clean with a towel, he picked up the reins and positioned them in her little hands. Despite his usual brusque nature, it was difficult not to smile with Kurosawa and his personal assistant looking on proudly with his mother and Akane. Leaving their cheering section for the ring, he politely waited for a chance to walk into the ring. 

“Your that Enforcer from the MWPSB, aren’t you?”

Kogami was hesitant to turn and reply to the curt question. The conceit in the woman’s voice was evident. The nasal tone of it gave him a clear indication that, latent criminal or not, she would have found fault with anyone who did not rise to her standard of approval. He signed to Mi-Yeon, whispering, “Don’t pay attention to this lady.”

Mi-Yeon’s eyes widened slightly as she glanced over his shoulder at the stranger and then looked away with some trepidation.

“Yeah, that would be me,” Kogami replied. He turned to face the woman, sarcastically tipping the brim of his helmet to her.

She was dressed in a rich mahogany tweed jacket and skirt. The suit was designed specifically for a formal outing in the countryside, complete with stockings and brown boots that came up to the knee. Her bleached blond hair was pinned in a French bun, the front held back by a tortoise shell headband.

“Can I help you?”

“Absolutely not. Ours would be a perfect world except for latent criminals like you running around it. Your very presence here is simply deplorable.”

“Therein lies the real problem,” Kogami said with measured civility. “No society can be perfect until it fully accepts the imperfections of all those who live within it. That’s called diversity, but I wouldn’t expect someone like you to get that.”

“Someone like me! What ever do you mean by that?”

“It means that in a perfect world, there’s a place for everyone, including someone like you.”

The ring steward opened the gate and summoned the division entrants to go inside and take their places on the outer rail. Kogami quickly led Touch the Sky inside and went to the far end of the ring to be rid of the viper, who scowled at him from the opposite end. 

Mi-Yeon looped the reins on her arm and signed, “ _Mean lady_.”

“Yeah, mean lady. Pick up your reins and get your heels down. The judge is coming.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please,” the announcer said. “The Gotemba Children’s Leadline Division is about to begin. There will be three separate classes, judged on the rider’s hands and seat as well as the suitability and manners of the mount. Class 1 will be judged at the walk, on lead. Class 2 will be judged at the walk and trot, on line. Class 3 will be judged at the walk and trot, off lead. Entrants, you are now being judged at the walk.”

During their training, Kogami had learned the obedient nature of Touch the Sky. Part of that training had been long walks on Kurosawa’s massive estate. While he could be feisty with his grooms and barn handlers, the stallion was well behaved under saddle. He hardly seemed to notice the little girl on his back. At one point, bored with the task, Lancelot pressed his muzzle against Kogami’s pocket. Alert ears detected the crinkling sound of candy paper.

“Not until you’re done,” Kogami chastised him. He moved the stash of peppermint candies to a different pocket and brushed the stallion’s nose away. “Make him pay attention, Mi-Yeon.”

After winning the first and second classes, Touch the Sky bowed his head to Mi-Yeon’s quiet hands at the reins. While acquiescent to her commands, the stallion’s eyes were on Kogami’s hand and the hidden peppermint. Of the 12 competitors, Lancelot was one of three horses in a field of perfectly behaved ponies, and the only stallion. So it was with great confidence that Kogami unsnapped the chain from his bit and stepped back to let Mi-Yeon show the judge and the audience that she was in control. 

At ringside, Kogami saw his mother’s smiling face as she held two blue ribbons in her hands. She nodded her head to Mi-Yeon in anticipation of a third. The announcer had just requested them to step into the trot when he heard it. 

A whisper of wind, initially, the noise grew into a sweeping whirlwind and then became the roar of a small hurricane. In the open field beside the ring, a black and red helicopter descended from the sky. Its pilot seemed painfully unaware of the danger posed by setting the vehicle down near a ring full of show horses. As grass and sand took flight in the swirl of its rotating blades, chaos erupted. 

The pandemonium began with a shrill scream when a brown and white pony threw its head to the ground and, with a mighty buck, threw its rider to the ground. It bolted headlong, running into the back of the pony in front of it. Startled by the sudden assault, the second horse reared. Another tiny rider tumbled to the ground, and a second pony ran loose as the handler missed a chance to catch him.

Before Kogami could grab Lancelot’s rein, he was thrown back as a third bolting pony shot between him and the stallion. Unable to maintain their balance at speed, the young rider was thrown backwards out of the saddle. Acting quickly, Kogami dropped to a knee and caught the hysterical child, sparing her a hard landing in the stone dust. In a panic, he got the crying girl safely out of the ring by handing her to a bystander along the fence. By that time, Lancelot and Mi-Yeon were well out of reach at the opposite end of the ring.

The stallion’s head was arced prominently as he extended his trot into the corner. Tail raised with anticipation of the next command, Lancelot slowed to a powerful collected trot. Bouncing in rhythm, Mi-Yeon held onto the reins and posted every other stride, smiling excitedly as they rounded the turn. The two seemed to be in their own world, unaware of the helicopter, its rotating blade, and the battlefield of unseated kids and loose ponies running in the ring. 

“Whoa, Lancelot-san,” she said. “Whoa.”

The stallion came to an abrupt halt and stood stone still. Mi-Yeon dropped the reins and signed. “What happened? Why did everyone get off?” 

Kogami sprinted across the ring to her, snapping the chain of the leather lead back onto the stallion’s bit. He sighed abruptly in great relief. “I think you just won the last class.”

While Okamato and her security detail pressed in on the helicopter and its occupants, Kurosawa met Kogami beside the in-gate. Anxiously chuckling, the businessman took the stallions’ lead rope. “Another impressive laurel to add to Lancelot’s extensive resume.”

“A leadline championship?” Kogami asked. He glanced at Kurosawa skeptically, pondering the man’s sincerity.

“I was thinking more of him being bomb-proof or rather child-safe, even in the face of helicopters.” Kurosawa laughed, slapping the horse on the neck in pride. “He deserves a treat, don’t you think, Mi-Yeon?”

Kogami picked Mi-Yeon up in his arms and set her on the ground beside him. As she held her hand out to him, he gave her a peppermint and watched in mild amusement as she offered it to the stallion. Lancelot plucked the treasure delicately from her hand. “Go get your ribbon,” he said. 

Showgrounds staff and EMTs rushed into the ring to assess the damage. Kogami stared at the helicopter with genuine annoyance. “What the hell is going on? I thought this was restricted air space.” He removed the tiny saddle from the stallion’s back and handed it to a waiting groom.

“It is, Mr. Kogami. Unless you happen to live in the area.” Kurosawa rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disgust. 

“A neighbor did this?”

“Unfortunately, yes. A troubling ordinance of privilege. But I assure you, there won’t be a recurrence. Disrupting a ring full of children on ponies is one thing. I’ll not have the championships disrupted at any cost.” He led the stallion away from the ring toward the stabling area. “The show organizers want to let the dust settle. Ride times have been pushed back by 10 minutes. Use the time wisely.”

For a moment, Kogami watched Kurosawa leaving, heading back in the direction of the main exhibition hall and arena. Then glancing over his shoulder, he watched Mi-Yeon in the throes of her victory dance. With a blue ribbon in each hand, she spun around wildly at his mother’s feet. The grand champion ribbon fluttered from the front of her coat as she clutched a silver trophy tightly to her chest. She twirled for so long that she made herself dizzy and fell to the ground, staining her jodhpurs on the grass. Rather than scold her, Mrs. Kogami simply laughed and offered her arms to pick her up so that she could continue her celebration.

Kogami laughed softly. If this bit of mayhem had been an MWPSB investigation, the verdict was in, and the case was closed, job well done. Time to move on to the next. He retreated to the main path leading to the exhibition area.

“Mr. Kogami.”

Hearing his name called by a voice that he did not recognize, Kogami paused to glance over his shoulder. The stranger was tall, some inches taller than himself, with skin as black and mysterious as the greater depths of the ocean. “Do I know you?”

“No, but my employer knows you and would like a moment of your time.” He was dressed impeccably in a black business suit, complete with a white shirt, black tie, and a light gray waistcoat. He wore aviator glasses, which hid his eyes. The sides and back of his head were close shaved with a shock of longer dreadlocks spilling from the top. These hung neatly above his neck with a few longer strands swaying at his shoulders.

“I’m a little busy right now,” Kogami said evenly. There was something in the way the man moved that unnerved him. It was graceful, with no wasted motion, not unlike a cobra before striking.

“It will only take a moment—“ He extended a hand to grasp Kogami’s shoulder. It was an action that would have resulted in a dislocated shoulder, if Kogami had been able to receive it and defend himself. But before the stranger could make contact, two Kurosawa security guards intercepted the contact, interjecting themselves between Kogami and the newcomer.

“Grigori!” a woman’s voice said. “Grigori, there’s no need to be rude. We’re the unwelcome interlopers here. Interlopers with blood on our hands.”

Wearing a pink and lavender kimono, the woman’s fiery red hair was pinned up in a traditional Japanese maru-mage style with lavish kanzashi. The elaborate hair pins and sticks jutted from her thick mane, blending in with the colors of the beautiful fabric. Covered with a splash of freckles, a pale, youthful face flushed in the sunlight. She was thin, unusually thin, so frail looking that she bore more of a semblance to a porcelain doll than a real human. 

Bowing deeply, the woman said, “I apologize for my man. He tends to be a bit myopic.”

“We’re on a timetable,” Okamato said with evident ferocity. She was out of breath and vexed. “May I help you?”

“No, you can’t,” the woman replied. Her voice held a superior air of authority meant to supersede any subordinate. “But _you_ can, Shinya Kogami.”

“Not until you explain what you mean by having blood on your hands.” Kogami watched her, but kept an eye on her bodyguard behind her.

“I’m afraid that I’m the one responsible for the incident on the interchange this morning.” The strange woman smiled demurely, her cheeks rosy with color. “I was late for a business appointment and instructed my driver to do whatever it took to get me there on time or risk unemployment.” She clasped her hands in front of her nervously. Matching her kimono, a small silk purse fell onto her tiny wrist. 

“So you decided to cause another accident by flying a helicopter over a ring full of little kids on ponies? Is your name Pandora by any chance?”

“Actually, no.” Her face grew quite serious, and it was then that Kogami noticed that her left eye was green. The other was brown. “My name is _Roninn_ , Chimari Roninn. I believe you know my brother?”

Kogami tried to mask his reaction, but was caught off guard and failed. He took a cautious step back in shock. “Roninn?”

“Friend of yours, Mr. Kogami?” Okamato whispered discretely. Her hand was poised to execute a defense order to the security detail.

“More like a _distant_ acquaintance. One I’d prefer to keep distant. Her brother was an MWPSB Inspector.”

“ _Was_? I take it you had a hand in the reason why he is no longer with the MWPSB?”

“You might say that. This can’t be a coincidence.” Kogami feared that the accident on the interchange was part of a more elaborate plan. He glared over the shoulders of the security men standing between them. “What can I do for you, Miss Roninn?”

“It’s not what you can do for me, Mr. Kogami, but what I must do for you.” She reached into her purse, prompting the security guards to assume a more offensive posture. Smiling innocently, she produced a certified check from the small purse at her wrist. “Allow me to make amends. I understand the only injury sustained in the accident on the interchange was the pony in the van. Will $300,000 suffice?”

Kogami’s eyes narrowed in suspicious contempt. The narcissistic perception that he could be bought off or that money would erase Mi-Yeon’s trauma that morning infuriated him. “Secret’s not our pony. She belongs to the Royale Hippotherapy Centre’s program.”

Chimari handed the check to Grigori, who placed it in his lapel pocket. “I’ll make certain they are fully compensated. But as for you and the trouble I’ve caused your family, I feel personally responsible.” She pulled another check from her purse. Grigori handed her a pen. “I trust this will be enough for the purchase of Mi-Yeon’s very own pony and proper training.” She flashed the amount at him: $500,000. “Every little girl deserves a pony of her own. It’s just like having a big brother, wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Kogami?” 

“Is that a threat?” Kogami spat. He shoved the startled security guards out of his way.

“Kogami!” Akane yelled. She intercepted him, grabbing on to his balled fists, and used her slight weight to temporarily counter his. “Miss Okamoto!”

“Not to worry, Inspector Tsunemori. Gentlemen,” Okamato said, “please escort Miss Roninn and her man from the premises. Immediately.”

Enraged by Chimari’s insinuated threat, Kogami resisted Akane and Okamoto as they bodily moved him through the canopy door of a nearby tent with the Kurosawa logo printed in Japanese.

“Kogami!” Akane threw her arms about his shoulders, weighing him down. She was little more than a mild hinderance to his muscular frame.

“You got this?” Okamato asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“For now.”

“You certain? I need him settled. If he misses his ride time, he’s disqualified.”

Akane leaned against Kogami with all her weight, pressing her forehead and hands against his chest. “Just need a few minutes,” she grunted.

“Good luck with that.” Okamato stepped outside, only a few feet away, stalling for time on her comlink. “Double the security team on Mr. Kurosawa, and I want an extra detail on the Kogami family. I don’t care, Byron, provide them each with a foxhound and orders to bite first and ask questions later.”

The show of force did little to quiet Kogami’s slighted sense of honor. He no longer cared about the national test, the championship, or anything else in that moment. All he could think about was his family’s safety, which he considered to be compromised by Roninn’s presence.

“Kogami, calm down!” Akane pleaded, taking his arm.

“Roninn’s sister? Not a coincidence, Inspector. I need to be with my family.”

“Kogami, please stop and listen to me!”

He snatched his arm away from her and glared down into her face. “This is why you don’t get close to people. Why you never expose your vulnerabilities because inevitably they can be exploited by your enemies.”

“I saw and overheard everything, Mr. Kogami.” Akane grasped his jacket sleeve and held it tightly. Her fingers could barely make the circumference of his forearm. “Kagari has Mi-Yeon, who is with your mother, and Masaoka is there, too. Shion is monitoring the security feeds of every camera in the area, including satellite feeds.” She smiled to reassure him and straightened the lapel of his shadbelly. “Ginoza is repositioning security drones across the entire venue to detect any suspicious activity. And,” she said, squeezing his arm. “I’m with you. Your family is safe.”

Regretting his behavior, Kogami bowed his head and sighed with mixed feelings of dread and relief. His family could not have been in safer hands. “What? Are you supposed to be my good luck charm or something?”

“Something like that.” She chuckled, tilting her head to one side. “Could you find a better one right now.”

“No.” His fury could no longer be maintained and fell from volcanic to a low simmer. “Thank you, Akane.”

“Thankful enough to do that interview we were talking about earlier?” She clasped her hands together in a personal plea.

“You strike a hard bargain, Inspector. I’ll think about it.”

“Mr. Kogami,” Okamoto said from the entrance, “You’re on deck. We need to go.”

Ever the detective, Kogami could not shift his focus from the unsettling visit with Roninn’s younger sister to actually riding the national championship test. Despite the weeks of training leading up to the competition and excellent warm up with the stallion that morning, the harried Enforcer failed to concentrate as required. The distraction left Lancelot to perform much of the test at the stallion’s discretion. Fortunately for Kogami, Touch the Sky was a showman that excelled when it came to performing and keeping children and absentminded riders safe from harm. 

While the resulting score was an exceptional one, it was only enough to clinch second place. Kogami stared at the scoreboard, understanding the implications of his restlessness, and sighed. Lancelot snorted beneath him, swishing his tail across Kogami’s leg. When Kogami did not reward him, the stallion flexed his neck, bobbed his head up and down, and nibbled on the tip of his boot.

“Well, at least one of us was on the case.” Kogami reached down and gave him a slap on the neck for a job well done. Retrieving a peppermint from his pocket, he stretched forward toward the stallion’s head and offered the treat, which was gratefully accepted.

“An excellent test, Mr. Kogami,” Kurosawa said. He stroked the stallion’s neck and shoulder. “I suspect the helicopter incident might have stressed Lancelot more than I anticipated.”

“This wasn’t Lancelot’s fault. It was mine.”

“Understandable, given the events that have unfolded.” Kurosawa sighed, disappointment weighing heavily in his words. He looked up to meet Kogami’s eyes. “Men of decisive action are often haunted by dangerous specters, Mr. Kogami. I suspect your role as an Enforcer has bought a lion’s share of formidable enemies to your door. My role in business is no different. CEO or Enforcer, we are always on the hunt and, at times, we even become the hunted.” 

“You know of the Roninn family?”

Kurosawa grunted distastefully and looked away, putting his hands behind his back. “Intimately. Well enough to know that they have no enemies that have not felt their acrimony or escaped the scars of their retribution, even for the smallest slight.” Kurosawa swept his gaze from side to side, surveying the area. “But let’s not discuss such things here in the open.” 

“Understood, sir,” Kogami replied. He sensed a genuine unease in Kurosawa and wondered how the businessman had crossed paths with Roninn’s family and survived to tell the tale so confidently.

Kurosawa met his questioning eyes with a grin. “Settle your mind, Mr. Kogami. The entirety of my security force has been called in to police the showgrounds. My personal team has been designated to watch over your family. I realize the MWPSB is here, but I’ve learned that decisive men can never be too careful.” 

“I can’t thank you enough.”

“Yes, you can actually. We’re not out of this competition yet. There’s one final test—the musical freestyle. My daughter watched your practice ride yesterday for the first time and wept at the beauty of it.” Kurosawa chuckled softly under his breath. “As a child she always loved fairy tales. Brave knights and their war horses, questing for lost treasure. Driven by love or honor and armed with a bit of good luck, they always seem to persevere.” 

Kogami laughed out loud.

“Something funny in that, Mr. Kogami?”

“I was thinking of my good luck charm.” He glanced at Akane, who stood by the fence waiting for him to leave the paddock.

“No better charm to have than the heart of a good woman, Mr. Kogami.” Kurosawa slapped his thigh and smiled. “The quest is afoot, young man. The treasure is out there for the man who can stay the course. Victory awaits. Can you persevere?”

Kogami nodded with confidence. “I’ll certainly try.”

“Your mother and little sister are resting in my tent. May I suggest you join them for lunch.” He held the stallion as Kogami dismounted. “I’ll see to Lancelot for now. Go settle your mind so that your heart can do what it was meant to do.” He pet the stallion’s face and led him to the paddock exit. 

Taking the riding helmet from his head, Kogami ran a hand through his hair, giving it back its tousled look. Okamoto met him at the paddock entrance and offered him a bottle of cold water and a towel. 

“Nice job, Ko. Nice family. You needn’t be worried about them. Get your head back in the game. A lot’s riding on you today. Quite literally.” Okamoto grinned mischievously as she handed off the items to him. She straightened her dress, which lowered the plunging neckline and proceeded down the path after her boss. A much smaller security detail followed her. 

“She certainly isn’t shy,” Akane said, joining him at the gate.

“And neither is Kagari,” Kogami replied, nodding toward the Kurosawa Industries tent.

Kagari was standing near the tent entrance, talking with a trio of young women, who were dressed in riding coats and boots. Mi-Yeon was in his arms, on his hip, excitedly signing for the women. As a group, they laughed and gasped in surprise at the precocious little girl. Her championship ribbon hung from the pocket of her show coat. It was evident to Kogami what Kagari was doing, and he was simultaneously annoyed and amused.

“Kagari?” Kogami growled under his breath.

“Kogami-kun!” Mi-Yeon squirmed free of the younger Enforcer and ran to him, jumping up into his arms.

Kagari was making his reluctant goodbyes to the young women, who paused only long enough to wave at Mi-Yeon before departing. “Ko, you’ve been holding out on me! This whole hippotherapy thing? Cute girls in tight pants? I can’t get enough of it.” He closed his eyes and propped his hands behind head. “The boots, the spurs, the whips—”

Akane rolled her eyes in disgust, crossing her arms over her chest. “Hippotherapy is supposed to be a calming therapy, but clearly not for the likes of you.”

Kagari scratched his head and grinned. “I can own that.”

Kogami sidestepped Kagari with a glare. “Can you own using a little kid for picking up girls?”

“Kagari, you are simply incorrigible!” 

“What? Ko’s little sister is the ultimate babe magnet. What woman can resist a sweet little girl in pigtails and ribbons? Mi-Yeon was totally into it.”

Shaking his head in bemusement at his brazen collegiate, Kogami ducked through the tent’s canopy door and was met by a crowd of familiar faces. His mother was sitting in a far corner, relaxed and laughing with Masaoka. Ginoza stood near a saddle rack, intently staring at a holographic diagram of the equestrian center on his wristcom. Kogami felt an instant pang of fear and worry. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing for you to worry about,” Ginoza replied. “Just redeploying security drones in a more effective manner around the showgrounds.”

“Any reason to be nervous?”

“None whatsoever.”

“Security ejected Miss Roninn, as well her bodyguard and pilots from the property without incident. The helicopter is impounded temporarily until the showgrounds clear out for the night,” Akane said. “Do you think Inspector Roninn put his sister up to this?”

“ _Former_ Inspector,” Ginoza corrected her, “and there’s no evident connection.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Kogami argued. 

“Shion is reviewing footage from the accident on the interchange today and can’t find any evidence of foul play.”

“Distracted driving seems a bit too convenient, if you ask me,” Kagari said. “If it were anybody else but Roninn’s sister, okay, I’d buy it.”

“The question is why?” Masaoka asked from across the room. He helped Mrs. Kogami up to her feet, and the two joined their younger company. “Surely there has to be something amiss with the girl’s pscyho pass, especially if she planned this whole thing.”

“Her crime coefficient was elevated, but not outside of the norm,” Ginoza said.

“Was she sincere in offering to buy Mi-Yeon a pony?” Mrs. Kogami asked.

“Yes,” Ginoza answered. “Shion confirmed that a donation of $300,000 was deposited to the Royale Hippotherapy Centre, shortly after she left the showgrounds. I suspect there will be a similar payment waiting for Kogami when we return to MWPSB headquarters.”

“I don’t want anything to do with that woman or her family,” Kogami hissed. “I had more than enough of her brother to last me a life time.”

“I would agree,” Ginoza said with a nod. “Any parcels delivered to the CID that are addressed to Kogami will be diverted and scanned for suspicious activity. Chief Kasei has authorized a draft of restriction orders that will cover Kogami and each member of his family. That should send a very clear message.”

“Problem is,” Masaoka said, “people like former Inspector Roninn believe they are above the law. He proved that by leaving a long trail of dead Enforcers in his wake as evidence.” He frowned, noticing that Mi-Yeon was intently listening to the conversation. “Little lady, this is the adults’ table. Why don’t we go get ourselves some cotton candy?”

Mi-Yeon smiled at the offer of sweets. She hopped down from Kogami’s arms and took the older man’s hand and her mother’s. “Kagari-chan?”

“How do you resist an invitation like that?” Kagari said. “Of course I’ll go for cotton candy, especially if Masaoka is paying!”

When the three had left the tent and were well out of earshot, Akane leaned back against a wall of bridles. “What I don’t understand is why hold a grudge?”

“Isn’t that evident?” Ginoza scowled. “Her brother was sentenced to life in an isolation facility.”

“Yes, but why blame Kogami for her brother’s mental state. He worked himself into a clouded psycho pass all by himself, utilizing the law as his own personal weapon.”

“Confronted with the impossibility of remaining faithful to one’s beliefs, and the equal impossibility of becoming free of them, one can be driven to the most inhuman excess.” Kogami opened his bottled water and had a drink.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Ginoza asked.

“James Baldwin, 20th century civil rights activist,” Kogami replied. “It’s not complicated really. Roninn had a choice to exercise his sociopathic beliefs by becoming an angel of justice, or he could abandon those beliefs...the undertaking of either drove him insane and caused him to commit acts of atrocities. But in the end,” Kogami surmised, “who gets to define an inhumane act? Men like Roninn? The Sibyl System? Or the people these two were supposed to protect?”

“Don’t be naive, Kogami,” Ginoza warned. He stared over the rims of his glasses, which had fallen from the bridge of his nose. “Roninn violated the most sacred auspices of the Sibyl System and everything _it_ , and _we_ , stand for through his actions, and he did it with no remorse for the blood on his hands, Enforcers _and_ citizens.”

“You forgot to say _innocent_ citizens, Inspector Ginoza.”

“I have no way of knowing if they were innocent or latent criminals, who deserved what they got!”

“Exactly. How do you think the powerful stay powerful? It’s by victimizing the helpless.” Kogami tossed the empty water bottle into a recycling bin. “Roninn and his sister have made one careless mistake.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“I’m anything but helpless.”

“Mr. Kogami,” Okamato called from the tent entrance. “It’s time.”

According to rumors, Kurosawa purchased Touch the Sky from a backyard breeder in the United States for a mere pittance. A bit of simple detective work had proven the rumors to be true. The business tycoon was well invested in the stallion’s rise to prominence long before that fateful day when Kogami rode the horse to an unexpected win at the regional championships. That was the day the stallion and the Enforcer had proven themselves to be worth their weight in gold. 

On this fateful day, with the national championship on the line, Kurosawa was even more invested. Unlike many successful leaders, he did not often delegate trivial tasks to his subordinates. He gifted them with opportunities to show innovation and motivation, giving rise to sterling integrity and superb performances. He did no less with Kogami, allowing the Enforcer to chose his own music for the crucial freestyle portion of the test.

A hopeless romantic, though he would never admit it, Kogami chose a song from a vintage holovid. The song, _Fable_ , began to play from the speakers around the arena. “Tell me a fable...” the vocalist beckoned, “...tell me a fable.” 

The song came from a redrafted folktale, _Ever After_ , and lent itself well to the rewrite of Kogami’s own dark fairy tale. Upon hearing the music, the stallion moved into the ring with unexpected vigor, prompting Kogami to hold him back slightly without impeding the horse’s excitement and natural gaits. 

The choreography was a cruel allegory for Kogami’s life. The stalwart knight, fallen from grace, and his faithful warhorse risking everything for a chance to prove their valor. The quest was anything but simple: the restoration of honor and the family name. The cast comprised the usual characters: a wealthy mentor, a distrusting former ally, a sidekick, and rivals to bring the quest through to a difficult fruition. 

More importantly, the tale had a maiden, who despite harsh treatment by the hero, kept the faith and her trust, regardless of a society determined to keep them apart. With every forward transition, the stallion helped pen that fairy tale from the lullaby prologue until its climatic finale. After a final series of canter pirouettes executed on the centerline, the music ceased, and so did his feet into a perfectly square halt. 

Kogami felt his cheeks flush, not from the effort of the test, but with pride. The audience in the stadium erupted into a standing ovation, applauding their appreciation and chanting the stallion’s name from one side of the arena to the other. There was no need to await the posting of the scores. As he walked the winded horse back to the in-gate, the results were written all over Kurosawa’s face.

“Pure perfection, Mr. Kogami!” He earnestly shook Kogami’s hand until it was numb. “I can ask no more! If we get no farther than this, I will be wholly satisfied.” He pulled the handkerchief from his lapel pocket and dabbed at his glistening forehead, covering his mouth with it when the score flashed across the arena screens: 81.2. “He’s done it,” Kurosawa said in disbelief. “He’s done it!”

A short distance from the ring, Akane gave Kogami a thumbs up and a winsome smile. There were prouder moments in his life, Kogami had to admit: graduation with honors, making the grade to be a top choice for the MWPSB, becoming an Inspector, and solving his first case shortly after joining the bureau. Those moments were made all the more bittersweet by the loss of Sasayama, his Enforcer and friend, and his own subsequent demotion. He had truly fallen from grace, but not so far that he could not be redeemed, despite the stigma of being labeled a latent criminal.

No sooner had Kogami kicked free of the stirrups than a reporter from one of the major networks was at his side with her camera crew. Initially, he ignored her goading questions, and busied himself with loosening the stallion’s girth. Glancing at Kurosawa for a hint of what to do, the businessman shrugged his shoulders and offered little in the way of advice.

Before Kogami could decide to respectfully decline the interview, he saw Akane, hands clasped at heart level, imploring him to cooperate. Swallowing what remained of his pride, he unsnapped the chin strap and removed his helmet, tucking it under his arm. Reluctantly, he turned to the eager brunette and her intrusive microphone.

“Mr. Kogami, you, yourself, have been labeled as a latent criminal by the Sibyl System,” the reporter began. “Once a promising Inspector with the MWSPB, you’re now what is known as a glorified hunting dog, an Enforcer. Yet, here you are competing among the nation’s best equestrians on equal terms. What do you have to say about that?”

Kogami hesitated, uncertain what to say or what was appropriate for the moment. “I just want to thank Mr. Kurosawa, Kurosawa Industries, and the Ministry of Welfare’s Public Safety Bureau for this opportunity.” He wanted to cringe at the stiff, robotic sound of his own voice, but kept his composure.

“Now that you’ve won both the regional and national qualifiers and stand poised to compete on the world stage, how do you feel about your situation and your classification as a latent criminal?”

Poised for the cameras, Kogami considered her question, contemplating an appropriate answer that he could live with when the cameras were gone and he was returned to MWPSB headquarters, not as a celebrated equestrian but a prisoner of the Sibyl System. “What is civility? When people are treated a certain way, they will react a certain way. The reason there has been more emphasis on latent criminals is because the public thinks it’s important not to _be_ a latent criminal.” He cleared his throat of any doubt in his heart. “What people should be thinking about are the best possible ways to just be human, and thereby redefine what it means to be a member of this thing we call humanity. Environment creates the conditions in which we live. Society dictates the environment. In my own humble opinion, we are all latent criminals.”

There was silence across the showgrounds as his words rang out across the venue through the Jumbotron screens and their speakers. As the message sunk into the psyche of the surrounding crowd, in a distant section of the stadium, someone started clapping. They were joined by a few others, and within seconds, more and more people applauded until the stadium was filled with thunder. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Kogami said, putting the helmet back on his head. “I’m due for a family picture.”

“Ginoza!” Akane hissed between clenched teeth. She was pulling at the senior Inspector’s jacket as he marched toward Kogami with purpose. His face was a stern, self righteous mask of disgust and fury.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Ginoza demanded. His voice was low so as not to attract undue attention, but grating enough to convey his displeasure. “Feel better now that you’ve made a spectacle of yourself?”

Kogami patted him on the back with an impish, defiant grin. “As a matter of fact, I do feel better.” He pushed him away, masking the insubordinate act in a playful gesture. Ignoring Ginoza’s menacing eyes, Kogami took Akane by the arm and led her to the winner’s circle. “Let’s go.” 

“Kogami,” she protested, “the photographer called for family.”

“That’s right. He did, didn’t he?”

Leaving Ginoza gawking behind a line of Kurosawa security guards, Kogami put a foot in the stirrup and once more climbed to Lancelot’s back. The stallion was wearing the hard fought for championship cooler emblazoned with the Gotemba Equestrian Center logo and the word: Champion. Mr. Kurosawa stood at the stallion’s head while his daughter, a slight girl in her early twenties, held the reins. Mi-Yeon stood proudly at Mrs. Kogami’s side, holding the national championship ribbon. The photographer handed the silver trophy to Akane, who stood between the two families, connecting them. At the photographer’s order, they smiled in unison as he quickly snapped the picture. 

“Mrs. Kogami,” Kurosawa said bowing, “allow me to personally invite you back to my estate for the victory celebration. Your family is always welcomed in my home.” He turned to the members of Division 1. “The invitation stands for all of you as well. I implore you to be my guests for a regal evening of food and entertainment.”

“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Kagari said.

“But before the victory can be celebrated, the victor must return to the ring to collect his accolades from the crowd.” Kurosawa bowed to Kogami respectfully. “Mr. Kogami, your adoring crowd awaits.” He raised his hand in the direction of the arena, where the crowd eagerly anticipated a final look at the championship winners.

“Right.” Kogami reached down from the saddle and with both hands lifted Akane off her feet.

“Kogami!” Panicking, she threw her arms around his neck as he sat her across the pommel of the saddle in front of him. “What are doing?” 

“Can’t go back in the ring without my good luck charm. Hold tight.” He grinned mischievously and adjusted the reins in his hands as the ring steward beckoned him to return to the show ring for a victory gallop.


End file.
